Lanka self- sufficient in maize

Ishara MUDUGAMUWA

Sri Lanka is 63.60 percent self-sufficient in maize production and within two years it will be increased to 100 percent, Hector Kobbakaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute Research Officers Duminda Priyadarshana and Nalaka Wijesooriya said.

The Annual local requirement of maize is about 228,000 metric tonnes and 145,000 metric tonnes are produced in the country, the research officers said.

They also said that maize is the third largest planted crop in the world. The USA, China and Brazil contribute 64 percent of the world maize production. These countries use a considerable part of their maize production for producing Ethanol as a bio fuel.

The USA uses 1/5 of its maize production for this purpose and subsidies are given to boost the ethanol production. This has pushed world maize prices up during past few years.

The Government encouraged farmers to grow maize mainly in Anuradhapura, Monaragala, Ampara and Badulla districts through Api Wavamu Rata Nagamu program. There is an important place for maize among the 23 main crops named by the Government, they said.